he present instance to be something like the working of a Divine hand?
I could not conceive why this woman, better educated than her mother,
should have been, as she certainly was, a worse character than her
mother. Yet perhaps this woman may be better and happier than her mother
ever was; perhaps she is so already--perhaps this world is not a wild,
lying dream, as I have occasionally supposed it to be."

But the thought of my own situation did not permit me to abandon myself
much longer to these musings. I started up. "Where are you going,
child?" said the woman anxiously. "I scarcely know," said I; "anywhere."
"Then stay here, child," said she; "I have much to say to you." "No,"
said I, "I shall be better moving about;" and I was moving away, when it
suddenly occurred to me that I might never see this woman again; and
turning round offered her my hand, and bade her good-bye. "Farewell,
child," said the old woman, "and God bless you!" I then moved along the
bridge until I reached the Southwark side, and, still holding on my
course, my mind again became quickly abstracted from all surrounding
objects.

At length I found myself in a street or road, with terraces on either
side, and seemingly of interminable length, leading, as it would appear,
to the south-east. I was walking at a great rate--there were likewise a
great number of people, also walking at a great rate; also carts and
carriages driving at a great rate; and all, men, carts, and carriages,
going in the selfsame direction, namely, to the south-east. I stopped
for a moment and deliberated whether or not I should proceed. What
business had I in that direction? I could not say that I had any
particular business in that direction, but what could I do were I to turn
back? only walk about well-known streets; and, if I must walk, why not
continue in the direction in which I was to see whither the road and its
terraces led? I was here in a _terra incognita_, and an unknown place
had always some interest for me; moreover, I had a desire to know whither
all this crowd was going, and for what purpose. I thought they could not
be going far, as crowds seldom go far, especially at such a rate; so I
walked on more lustily than before, passing group after group of the
crowd, and almost vieing in speed with some of the carriages, especially
the hackney-coaches; and by dint of walking at this rate, the terraces
and houses becoming somewhat less frequent as I advance